Health and Safety

Employer Cares

In accordance with the Labour Law, an employer is responsible to maintain health and safety of the workers at workplace. Employer is required to keep the workplace in a common state of cleanliness and presentation of hygiene & safety necessary for the health and safety of workers.

The establishment should be monitored to check the quality of the premises; cleanliness; hygienic arrangements for the needs of personnel; beverages and meals; lodging of the personnel (if applicable); work stations and the seating arrangements; ventilation and sanitation; individual protective instruments and work clothes; and lighting and noise levels in the workplace.

Safety of the worker must be ensured by installing and maintaining the machinery, mechanisms, transmission apparatus, tools, equipment and machines in best possible safety conditions. Tools, equipment, machines, or products used must be organized properly guaranteeing the safety of workers.

Safety conditions of an establishment should also be monitored regarding risks of falling; moving heavy objects; protection from dangerous machines and apparatus; preventive measures to be taken for work in confined areas or for work done in an isolated environment; risks of liquids spilling and fire prevention.

Employer has a duty of care to the safety of workers under the Civil Code. When establishing and managing the place, facilities and equipment to be used for the employee’s work, the employer is obliged to take care to protect the worker’s life and health, etc. from danger.

Sources: §229 & 230 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2007); §666 of the Civil Code, 2007

Free Protection

Labour Law & Parkas require employers to provide protective equipment (PPE) to workers involved in hazardous work. .The type of PPE needed varies depending on the nature of work being performed. The right use of PPE reduces risk of accident and illness, minimises future medical costs, and helps in creation of safer working environment. The maintenance of safer working environment is also the responsibility of employer under the Civil Code.

Sources: §229 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2007); §666 of the Civil Code, 2007

Training

Employers are required to ensure that the organization of work, the techniques used, materials, tools, machinery or products used must be appropriate to ensure the safety of workers. Employers of garment and shoe factories are required to train workers and their representatives on hygiene, workplace safety and health issues relevant to the work. Such training should be provided at the start of work, on job transfer, change in the production technique or machines or when worker rejoin after long time-off.

Sources: §230 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2007); §5 of the Prakas No. 307 on Conditions of Occupational Hygiene and Safety in Garment and Shoe Factories (December 2007)

Labour Inspection System

Labour Law provides for a vibrant labour inspection system (part VI).

The General Department of Labour is responsible for the implementation of labour law, for improving and ensuring health, safety, security and good working conditions at the enterprises, inspecting enterprises and ensuring the labour law enforcement.

Labour inspectors are authorized to enforce the labour law, provide information and advice to employers and workers on how to comply with the provisions of labour law as well as to bring to the attention of the competent authority any misconduct or abuses that are not specifically covered by the existing provisions. Labour inspectors also assume other responsibilities including dispute resolution.

The national legislation provides inspectors the power to enter the work premises; carry out investigations on accidents or dangerous occurrences; and issue improvement or prohibition notices until elimination of risk or its reduction to a suitable level. The Labor Medical Inspector works in collaboration with the Labor Inspectors and cooperates with them in enforcing regulations regarding the health of workers.

Sources: §343-350 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2007); Organization and Functioning of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Vocational Training and Youth Rehabilitation, 4 October 1999 (Anukret 87/ANKR-BK)